However, the unique imaging geometry of the CORONA satellite cameras, which produced long, narrow film strips, makes correcting spatial distortions in the images very challenging and has therefore limited their use by researchers. These sites are often clearly visible on CORONA imagery, enabling researchers to map sites that have been lost and to discover many that have never before been documented.

In regions like the Middle East, CORONA imagery is particularly important for archaeology because urban development, agricultural intensification, and reservoir construction over the past several decades have obscured or destroyed countless archaeological sites and other ancient features such as roads and canals. Because CORONA images preserve a high-resolution picture of the world as it existed in the 1960s, they constitute a unique resource for researchers and scientists studying environmental change, agriculture, geomorphology, archaeology and other fields. The more than 800,000 images collected by the CORONA missions remained classified until 1995 when an executive order by President Bill Clinton made them publicly available through the During that time, CORONA satellites took high-resolution images of most of the earth’s surface, with particular emphasis on Soviet bloc countries and other political hotspots in order to monitor military sites and produce maps for the Department of Defense. 3D imagery is available on select devices, including most tablets.CORONA is the codename for the United States’ first photographic spy satellite mission, in operation from 1960-1972. With every building modeled in 3D, you truly get a sense of flying above the city. With a quick swipe on the tab at the bottom of the screen, you can bring up a selection of virtual tours from around the globe.With new 3D imagery, you can now fly through complete 3D recreations of select cities, including San Francisco, Boston, Rome, and others. Visit the Earth Gallery to find exciting maps such as real-time earthquakes, planes in flight, hiking trails, city tours, and more.Use the new “tour guide” to easily discover exciting new places to explore.

Browse layers including roads, borders, places, photos and more. Integrated Google Maps Street View allow you to explore the world at street level.

Explore distant lands or reacquaint yourself with your childhood home. Fly around the planet with a swipe of your finger with Google Earth for Android.

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